The Assyrian Democratic Movement Might Withdraw From North of Iraq Kurdish Regional Parliament

Baghdad
December 2, 2004

Sources have confirmed that there are certain disputes and ambiguities that could keep the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM) out from participating in the new Kurdish regional parliament in north of Iraq. The dispute is not due to the number of seats designated to the ADM or how the five seats are distributed among the Syriac speaking Christians in north of Iraq (Assyrians, Chaldeans, and Suryan) but the principles through which the participation in the said parliament is to take place.

The name used to refer to our people is one of these disputes. The ADM is objecting to article 15 instituted by the Kurdish north of Iraq regional parliament two weeks ago, which referred to our nation as two different and separate people, i.e. Assyrians and Chaldeans.The ADM is demanding that the united name used in the Iraqi Transitional Administrative Law (TAL), i.e. ChaldoAssyrians, be used as reference to our one nation in the north of Iraqi regional parliament as well. If this demand is not met, the ADM is threatening that it will not participate in the Kurdish north of Iraq regional parliament.

In addition, the ADM has asked that if this demand is met, then the ADM should be allowed to conduct its communications and negotiations with our various groups, institutions, and notables and form a united list. Then enter the elections with this united list or allow the ADM to present its list of candidates and the other ChaldoAssyrian groups to present their own candidates and compete on the available seats designated for our people. However, the two main Kurdish groups the Kurdstan Democratic Party (KDP) of Masuad Barazani and Patriotic Union of Kurdstan (PUK) of Jalal Talabani have prepared one list of 111 names for the north of Iraq Kurdish regional parliament. This list of 111 names incorporates within it the five seats allocated for the Assyrians/Chaldeans. This the ADM interprets as a retreat from the principles of the 1992 elections when many lists competed to win the support of the Assyrian/Chaldean voters over the five assigned seats for our people then.

From the other side, the ADM is preparing one united ChaldoAssyrian list by cooperating with many Assyrian Chaldean Suryani (Syriacs) groups and notables and with agreement and the blessings of religious authorities. Through this united ChaldoAssyrian list, our people will form an alliance with an inclusive Iraqi national list to compete in the Iraqi national elections.

http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2335

New report which has not been confirmed indicates that His Holiness Mar Emmanuel Delli, Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, called the responsible authorities of the Kurdish parliament last Thursday and demanded that Assyrians and Chaldeans be recognized as ONE people and under ONE name. The Kurdish authorities gave in to the demand.

Failing to divide the Chaldo-Assyrians Kurds have decided to punish them by allocating only two seats for them instead of previous five which were as follows:
(2 for ADM, 1 for Chaldean Democratic Union Party, 1 for Bet-Nahrain Democratic Party, and 1 for the Chaldean Cultural Society). Our people will vote for two seats in the northern Iraq Kurdish regional elections.